


Cherries

by pushupindrag



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, M/M, Panic Attacks, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 02:03:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4416827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pushupindrag/pseuds/pushupindrag
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having just been dumped, Natasha takes Steve to a strip club in which he meets a stripper named Bucky.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>Natasha pays at the door, the guy there smirking at them. Steve doesn’t click on. He still doesn’t when they’re seated, the place packed with girls. Most seeming to be on hen nights. He doesn’t even click on with the stage in the centre, or when somebody comes round to check their ID’s. Which wasn’t surprising considering Steve didn’t look the 23 he was. In his defence he was a bit busy trying to calm himself down and avoid a panic attack.</i></p><p> </p><p>  <i>He finally puts two and two together when the lights dim and six scantily clad guys walk on stage.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Cherries

**Author's Note:**

> Steve has a panic attack in this about half way through, and he experiences anxiety throughout the whole thing so if you are uncomfortable reading things like that then please head this warning.
> 
> I watched the beginning of Magic Mike and then wrote this. I should be asleep, there are probably a load of mistakes and I don't know how stripping really works i'm just going on what little I saw of the film so I apologise in advance.
> 
> I have a tumblr [here](http://buckybdarnes.tumblr.com/) if you wanna check that out.
> 
> Un'beted so any mistakes are my own, please tell me if you find any :)

Steve knew this was a bad idea, but when he tried to tell Natasha she hadn’t listened. Steve hadn’t been out of the house in a week. Too wrapped up in his commissions. He still had flecks of paint on his arms, Natasha unwilling to let him have a decent shower before she was rushing him to get changed so they could get to the bar two blocks away from his apartment. After a week of no socialisation, it would have been better to take him to the sleepy pub on the corner instead, to ease him back into social situations without worrying that he would have a freak out. Not a hot, body filled large room that got Steve’s senses whirring and body failing. It was too much too soon, his anxiety wouldn’t let him go.

Natasha had thrown his skinny jeans at him, as well as his too big check shirt after storming into his apartment, spare keys in hand  
“Throw it over a tank top, come on. I need to get shit faced”  
“Well hello to you to” Steve had mumbled before stumping back into the bathroom, getting a quick shower as Natasha kept banging on the door and calling for him to ‘hurry up’.

“You’re going to wake the neighbours, the block has kids Nat!” Steve had said, putting on a layer of deodorant and pushing his inhaler into his jeans pocket along with his phone and keys. There was no way he was dancing tonight, he would make Natasha find him booth or something. She was good at that sort of thing.  
“It’s only six” She looked stunning, finally giving up on shaking the apartment to reapply her red lipstick in his small dresser mirror. The little black dress was good fit and obvious choice, and the red shoes explained why he was wearing the red shirt. She thought that they couldn’t afford to not be aesthetically pleasing together, even if it was just in colour schemes. She voiced the reasoning often enough. Steve was normally only a head shorter than her on a good day, but paired with her heels she towered over him. Not that he minded, it was just an observation.

“Come on Rogers, I want to get shitfaced and you need to loosen up!“  
“Nat-“  
“I just got dumped and need to get drunk off my face. We can eat ice cream tomorrow ok?” That explained her disregard for his anxiety so he squares his shoulders.  
“Anything for you” Natasha smiles down at him  
“I know. I can cry tomorrow alright”  
“Alright. Todd was a jerk anyway”  
“Don’t I know it. Fucker tried to slap me” He links with her, her dutifully taking his arm as they walk out of the apartment  
“Did you hit him back?” Steve locks up, pocketing the keys again as they go to the lift  
“Kicked him in the balls”  
“Good.”

They stick together in the lift, not wanting to touch the grimy surfaces at all before going onto the street, walking the few blocks to the club in a quiet and companionable silence. At the sight of the long line, Steve gulps. He was doing this for Natasha. His raised pulse and quick breathing was for Natasha. He tries to push past his nausea as they go up to the bouncer, Natasha just smiling before they’re let in. They were regular enough to not need to wait.

As Steve knew, the club was packed already. Sweaty bodies already everywhere. Clinging, Natasha leads them to an empty booth and sits Steve down.  
“It’s just so I know you’re here” She mutters, looking guilty as she sees him eyeing the place with a scared expression on his face  
“I wouldn’t want you being out on your own.” Steve waves off “Bring me a drink over and we’ll call it even.”  
“Points if I can get them for free?”  
“Double if you can get them free and an extra on the house.”  
“Done. I’ll be right back.” She dumps her bag on him, leaving him and disappearing into the mass of bodies.

Steve gets his phone out, pulling up his games. He doesn’t really have time to immerse himself before Natasha’s plonking herself down, three drinks in hand with a triumphant grin  
“All free, another on the house”  
“Ten points for Gryffindor!” Steve cheers before grabbing one of the glasses “What is it?”  
“Rum and coke with two vodkas”  
“Glad you’re drinking heavy”  
“Tomorrow we cry Steve. Today we get laid”  
“You get laid” Steve rolls his eyes, drabbing the drink to sip at it. He wasn’t a big drinker.  
“We get laid” Natasha wiggles her eyebrows before downing the first drink, not even getting lipstick on the glass. A trick she had picked up years ago. “Now come on, let’s dance”  
“Natasha I can’t.” He gestures to his phone, a sort of code they made up when they first became friends. He was normally a social person, when he could. But being on his phone meant that he wasn’t able to socialise that night. And if others in the vicinity thought he was an asshole, then the more the better.  
“Alright okay, I’ll text you if I leave ok” She was already up and starting to drift to the dancefloor so Steve waves her off, smiling as she leans down to kiss his cheek  
“Best wingman ever I’ll see you in a bit”  
“Of course you will. Go on!”

He has his drink in one hand and his phone in the other, Natasha bag still by his side. So he does what anybody would do and opens his emails, letting the background noise fade out as his breathing regulates. Nobody came up to the table, and he’s able to forget he’s in a crowded place. It’s not so bad, he gets some work done for the publishing firm he works for. There was a new book coming in apparently and they wanted his opinion on the cover artwork. So he would probably be working with an author soon which was always fun. He liked hearing little bits about the books they were working on. His drink soon disappears but he doesn’t get up to renew it. Instead he lets himself rifle through Natasha’s bag for some sweets. She wouldn’t mind, and at this point she only carried sweets for him just in case his blood sugar got low. Or he was hungry. One of the two. He finds some hard sweets and grabs one, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth. His mouth waters at the cherry flavour and he tries to go back to his emails.

The music gets turned up, and he’s forced to pay attention to his surroundings once again. Breathe leaving his lungs he only just manages to keep the sweet in his mouth as he looks around. The capacity of the place had seemingly doubled as he can’t see for the mass of bodies everywhere. The chattering around him kicks back up and then he’s panicking. Natasha wasn’t here, he was alone in this club and looked very out of place. He can feel eyes on him and starts to curl inwards. Breath stopping and starting of it’s on free will as he tries to keep his head.

“Steve?” Natasha as back. Natasha was standing there, piece of paper in hand so he focuses on her, trying to keep calm and not show how much he was freaking out. It was just an anxiety attack. He could get through an anxiety attack. Natasha needed him to be calm, she had just been dumped this wasn’t about him.  
“What’s that?” He points, putting his phone back in his pocket  
“Flyer for a thing that we’re going to. Come I’ll pay your way in.”  
“Natasha” He was already on edge as it was, he might not be able to handle it. He knew his limits  
“Please Steve. It will make me feel better, way more than this place”  
“You’re not shitfaced” He points out and she shrugs, taking her bag before pulling him up  
“I don’t need to be where we’re going come on.”  
“Alright.” He follows after her, tripping over his own feet and feeling like a child clutching at his mother’s coat tails.

“Can I have another sweet?” He’d swallowed the other one, and he was now coherent enough in the cool night air to finally ask.  
“Sure” She rifles around, handing him another one as they walk.  
“Did you dance with anyone?” He puts the sweet in his cheek to talk and she nods  
“A few, nobody good though. You should have been there”  
“You know I can’t dance for shit”  
“We would have had a laugh though” Denying he was a bad dancer was a lost cause so she doesn’t. What she does do is pull on his hand and lead him to a smaller brightly lit place that looked like a bar.

Natasha pays at the door, the guy there smirking at them. Steve doesn’t click on. He still doesn’t when they’re seated, the place packed with girls. Most seeming to be on hen nights. He doesn’t even click on with the stage in the centre, or when somebody comes round to check their ID’s. Which wasn’t surprising considering Steve didn’t look the 23 he was. In his defence he was a bit busy trying to calm himself down and avoid a panic attack.

He finally puts two and two together when the lights dim and six scantily clad guys walk on stage.  
“You’ve taken us to a stripper club!” He hisses, slapping Natasha’ arm across the table  
“You’re welcome” She grins before turning to the stage where the men had started stripping. Steve would appreciate this on a good day, he really would. But right now it wasn’t helping at all. The women around him were screeching, and he cringes inside at the noise, making to turn his hearing aids down before Natasha glares at him.

“Tonight ladies and gentlemen, we have a real treat for you” The host smiles, the men around him had stepped back, shirtless and smirking at each other, lined up with their hands covering their junk. Steve would stare and cheer with the rest of them, if he could. “Yes you carry on cheering” The man grins “I am Tony, otherwise known as ‘Iron Man’, you tell me if you need anything. Now today ladies, and gents” He winks at Steve and Steve manages to roll his eyes back. The guy had some weird facial hair going on, but he was cocky enough to pull it off. “We have our very own, Avengers!” The men start to move, pulling poses as Tony introduces them “Now first of, we have Thor, who knows he real name? Who cares when he has abs like that!” A blonde guy gets to the front of the stage, smiling widely and swatting Tony over the head as he passes. “Next we have our very own Clint ‘Hawkeye’!” The man was swaggering, waving and bowing as he went “And then next, we have Bruce ‘The Hulk’, you don’t want to rile him am I right?” The guy looked rumpled and nervous in the spotlight, which was in complete contrast to the next guy “Our very own Sam ‘Falcon’!” Both get a loud reception. The last one gets Steve breaking from his panic a little to gawp. “Bucky ‘The Winter Soldier’” Was lean and muscled, with dark hair scraped back into a bun with brooding eyes. He had a full sleeve on his left arm, with what looked like machinery and robotics. Steve may have drooled a little before being jolted back into panic by the sheer amount of screaming. Natasha was even screaming too, laughing loudly.

“Now, we get to the good part, as if that little introduction wasn’t enough,” Tony was grinning, “We can get onto the main event!” He turns, shaking his arse as he goes. Leaving the rest of the men to get into position.

The music is heavy and danceable, the first routine going completely unnoticed by Steve. The second routine however, has him paying attention as the dancers come out to the audience. Panic strikes and he tries to make himself as inconspicuous as he can, but he watches as Natasha gets a lap dance from Clint which she seems to enjoy, feeling over his hips as he rolls his abs in her face. If he could he would laugh at her expression At least she felt better now, and seemed to have forgotten about Todd. There’s a point where he thinks Bucky may be coming up to him, but he diverts to a fw tables back at the last minute. Although Steve can’t get the hungry look for Bucky’s face as Bucky had prowled up. Maybe it was just Steve’s imagination, his head really wasn’t in the best right now, and the lighting was dim enough that he could be projecting his own wants onto Bucky.

However, that though gets dismissed After the first time Bucky had walked up to him, whenever Bucky’s on stage he tries to get Steve’s attention, and even if he’s just walking past he manages to brush up against him. Hand coming dangerously close to Steve’s crotch as he goes to the next table over. Steve might think it was flirty if he was able to over think things. As it stood he couldn’t, the gestures barely register. He was there for Natasha. He was putting himself through this for Natasha. He couldn’t leave her on her own, just in case, he could get through this. His headache would go soon, the music would stop soon. His anxiety would stop soon.

Steve tries to concentrate on the dancing and the men around him. They were attractive, and he finds himself watching Bucky more than most. He was… something. He had a solo dance, just like the rest of them, and Steve forgot about his anxiety for the duration. Bucky was dressed in what looked like tactical gear, something out of an assassin movie or something. It was all buckles and leather. And the leather pants, fuck the leather pants. They accentuated Bucky’s cock quite nicely through the fabric, and when Bucky’s hand seems to absently mindedly trial down to adjust himself Steve forgets everything else. Steve’s mouth hangs open as the music starts, slow and sensual as Bucky’s undoes his hair, placing the tie on his wrist. The screaming around him dulls as the hair falls to his shoulders, brushing the tops of them as Bucky moves his hands to tuck the now free hair behind his ears. From there he starts moving, hips circling as falls to the floor. On his knee’s he starts to take off his vest, fingers nimble and quick as he removes the heavy gear to reveal nothing but an expanse of chest underneath. Steve’s mouth dries up as the man pulls his fingers across the skin, running his hands down his abs as he throws his head back, thrusting his hips up into the air before going into a back bend, shoulders to the through as he carries on thrusting and circling his hips.

Steve whimpers, and although he can’t see Bucky’s face he can imagine him biting his lip. The music kicks up a little and Bucky’s back on his feet, he moves smoothly, and when he turns Steve can finally look at the muscle in his back and shoulders, that’s nothing though. When Bucky undoes his pants, he starts moving his ass, putting it on display as he takes them off. Steve didn’t know whether he wanted to draw him or fuck him.

But again, the screams kick him back to reality as Bucky leaves the stage, clothes gathered in his arms. It wasn’t as bad as the club beforehand. And nobody here was looking or judging him. But he had been on edge for too long, with no quiet place to come down quickly or in his own time. He needed a drink, he would have tea usually. And everywhere would be quiet and he could just sit and draw everything away. But he couldn’t here.

He gets pushed to the edge during the last song. The one where they get a few of the audience up on stage. Natasha is led, and she gives just as good as she gets while she and Clint smirk at each other as he gently leads her to sit on one of the chairs on stage. Steve gets carried. He doesn’t really get a chance to do anything either, he’s just picked straight up and plonked in out of the chairs, Bucky grinning down at him. Bucky gently fixes his glasses before turning around, dropping down into Steve’s lap as the music starts up again.

Steve can’t breathe, he really can’t breathe. The lights are too bright and the music is too loud and he can’t seem to get his damn breath. The room is spinning, everything’s blurring and he can’t breathe at all. Bucky turns around, throwing his arms around Steve’s neck as he drops back into his lap, hips grinding against Steve. Steve mimics his arms, drawing Bucky towards him, ear pressed to Steve’s mouth  
“I’m gonna die, I’m going to die please just get me off this stage. I’m gonna have a panic attack I don’t care what you do just please get me out here” He wasn’t above begging, and manages to get that out before breaking down completely.

Everything seems to shift and then he’s floating. His head was pounding, and he barely registers being picked up, his legs being positioned around somebody’s waist as he’s carried somewhere.

“Hey, man come back to me, it’s okay” He hears someone whisper, the voice is nice and soothing, and things seem quieter now. He hears a door shut, and he’s placed on something soft that he gratefully leans back into, pulling his legs up. He puts his head into them, arms secure “Can I touch you?” The voice asks again and he nods, concentrating more on his breathing as he breathes in and out. There’s a hand on his arm, and other that moves to gingery rub at the base of his neck. Letting himself arch into it, the person takes that as the ‘go on’ gesture it as and continues, continuing to chat quietly. “That was great, you didn’t throw up. The cat calls were outrageous but you did the right thing.” Steve finds himself nodding “Do you need anything? I can get some water? Are you here with a friend? The red head?”  
“Natasha, and yes water please” Steve croaks out, finally coming back to himself. The person moves, and Steve looks up, rubbing at his eyes and re-settling his glasses as his vision clears up.

Bucky’s standing there, skimpy underwear on with drying sweat all over his back.  
“I’ll get one of the boys to bring her back here. She your girlfriend?” He hands over the water with a smile, sitting back in front of Steve on the floor, legs crossed. He’s put some more decent shorts on, so Steve puts his legs back down, and Bucky shuffles so they’re in his lap. Soft shoes leaving faint imprints on Bucky’s legs as Bucky absentmindedly plays with one of Steve’s laces.  
“Best friend” Steve corrects, sipping at his water while Bucky does the same “She just got dumped and she dragged me here”  
“I get the feeling you didn’t want to” Steve doesn’t think Bucky knows he’s doing it. His hand had moved from Steve’s laces to play with the leg of his jeans, running his fingers along with the outside seam and hem. He’s still smiling up at Steve, listening as Steve explains  
“I have anxiety, pretty bad to. And we had been at a club before. So it wasn’t that I didn’t want to come, more of the fact that I didn’t know and was already half way to a panic attack by the time that I got here”  
“Makes sense, you looked like you were going to throw up the entire time you were here”  
“I didn’t mean to”  
“I know” Bucky laughs, “I was just relieved to finally see some guys here”  
“You gay?”  
“Yep”  
“I’m bisexual” Steve throws out, and he likes to think he wasn’t imagining it when Bucky’s eyes gleam. He cringes after he’s said it but Bucky doesn’t look like he minds  
“Tony was thrilled, he likes getting more variety in here. Even if it was just for my benefit”  
“Well I’m glad.” Steve takes another gulp of water, distracted by Bucky’s hand on his jeans still.

“Natasha’s gonna be glad we came” He fishes for another topic. The music as muted, but he could still hear it faintly.  
“Really?”  
“It got her mind of her asshole ex. I mean, one of you certainly did anyway”  
“Clint”  
“Yes” Steve nods and Bucky nods too  
“He said something about a hot red head. And how about you?”  
“How about me what?” Bucky looks up at him through his eyelashes, and this is definitely flirting. Steve has been around long enough to know, however that doesn’t mean he doesn’t blush bright red when it’s aimed at him.  
“You glad you came here?”  
“Apart from the attack?”  
“Apart from the attack”  
“Then yes, I’m glad I came” Bucky’s hand moves higher, but it’s comforting and warm.  
“Me too.” Steve goes to cover Bucky’s hand, or at least see if it will move higher. But they’re interrupted with the door opening as everybody spills in.

“Steve!” One of them had brought Natasha back, and she physically pushes Bucky aside to crowd him, pulling him up into a hug “I’m so sorry I should have sent you home. Are you okay? Do you have your inhaler? I’m such a bad friend fuck” She mothers him, running her hands over his hair and face, holding him at arm’s length to look him over “Why are you backstage?”  
“I had a panic attack”  
“I knew it, although my first thought was a near death experience” She pulls him into a hug again. “Has anything happened? Do I need to kill somebody?”  
“No” Steve laughs, Bucky had been helped up and they were being watched, although it’s with smiles “I’m fine. Bucky helped”  
“I’m glad somebody did!” She whirls round and holds her hand out, getting Bucky to shake it “I’m Natasha, thank you for helping Steve”  
“It’s my pleasure.” Bucky’s smile is serene and cheerful, but it gets bright when it’s turned to Steve “We were just chatting, right”  
“Yep” Steve nods, if chatting was the new word for awkwardly flirting then so be it.

“This is touching” A voice breaks through, “Can we get ready to go home now?”  
“Sure Tony” Bruce laughs, “Lets break this up kids, it’s home time.”  
“You just hate me for taking you off the books tonight”  
“I do”  
“We had nobody else Bruce!” Steve turns from the bickering to catch Bucky staring at him.  
  
“I guess we should listen to the man” Bucky chuckles before turning away “Yo Sam pass me that paper and pen.” Sam throws it over, waving at Steve before going further into the long room. Natasha was occupied with Clint, so Steve’s left to stand and unashamedly stare at Bucky’s arse before the brunette turns back around, shoving the paper at Steve “Here’s my number, you know in case you want to hang out”  
“I totally do” Steve nods before putting it into his pocket. His smile is so wide it sort of hurts, but Bucky’s got a matching one on his face so he ignores the ache. Turning to Natasha, he taps her arm “Come on, you can come back and watch Clint another time. I want to go to bed”  
“Do you want Bucky to go with you!” Sam calls from the back and the room erupts into laughter, Steve and Bucky blushing in the centre of it before Steve drags Natasha out. Steve notices that she has a number of her own and he elbows her in the ribs for it. She just elbows him back, waggling her eyebrows.

They manage to get a few steps from the door, both seconds away from bursting into hysterical laughter as the turn of events seem to sink in, before Steve hears a quiet  
“Fuck it” From behind them. He’s turned by a hand on his arm, and then thoroughly kissed. He kisses back, licking at Bucky’s lips, because who else could it be, and Bucky does so back, managing to deepen it for a few seconds before they break away, still close. Bucky’s got that grin on his face again, the one that warms Steve from the inside out “You taste like cherries” Bucky smiles against his mouth, “Call me in the morning?” Bucky’s hand is still on Steve’s arm, and his fingers are trailing gently against the fabric  
“Of course” Steve’s breathless again, but at least now it’s for positive reasons.  
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?”  
“Yes.” Bucky goes to leave, and Steve carries on inching away. But they can’t seem to look away from each other.  
“Are we going to leave now or are you going to fuck on the pavement?” Natasha remarks, arms crossed as she watches and waits. Breaking their gaze, Steve nods at her before turning away and making to leave. But then he twists around again to go up to Bucky, grabbing he man’s shoulders and kissing him again, it’s quick and dry. But it gets Bucky to lean against the doorframe, eyes a little glazed as Steve leaves again, pulling Natasha along with him as she grabs his arm in passing  
“Bye Bucky!” He calls over his shoulder, twisting around to see Bucky still leaning, Bucky waves at them  
“Bye Steve!”

Natasha gets a block away before breaking down on him, howling with laughter  
“We went to a stripper bar and you got yourself a date! A date Steve! With a stripper! And he liked you while you were having an attack!” Steve chuckles with her,  
“Only me right?”  
“Only you.” She leans against him “Come on lover boy. I still want ice cream tomorrow. I didn’t even get shit faced”  
“You have vodka in my freezer”  
“That I do”  
“And a number of your own in your bag”  
“I have that too.”  
“So it was a good night”  
“It was a good night.”  
“You want to get drunk and call Todd and shout at him down the phone?”  
“Yes, and then call Clint and maybe have phone sex”  
“Just be quiet about it.” He knows she isn’t joking, but that’s just Natasha. She had done worse. At least it wasn’t full blown sex in his bed. While he was still in there trying to sleep. He reminders her of that and she breaks into peals of laughter again.  
  
“Hey, you have a date this time too. That was a kiss for the ages”  
“No it wasn’t”  
“There were fireworks”  
“No-“  
“And doves”  
“Nat-“  
“And a choir and angels”  
“Natasha-“  
“And you had a glow about you, you’re still glowing”  
“Shut the fuck up.”

He was glowing, just a little. But he had a date, and over all he had had a good time. He even manages to text Bucky in the morning too


End file.
